I want to help people

I want to help people with depression and anxiety. There are a whole host of other things out there that I care about, but these subjects are close to my heart. I've had my own experience with them, and while I'm not sure if one is ever out of the woods, I've come a long way. There are a number of things that helped me truly get better. Many of these were people in my life - both professionals and every day people like my friends, family, and wife. I am forever grateful to these people. Without them I may not be alive.

I want to help people like me. People that have seen some shit, or are trying to figure shit out, or just trying to get through a day. These people that helped me probably saved my life, and I sincerely believe that I have a calling to help people that are struggling with so much of what I did. It matters. It matters to me. And I am tired of doing shit that doesn't matter. It is meaningful. And I'm tired of doing meaningless work. I want to make a positive difference in others' lives, and right now I do not make the difference that I want to and that I know I can.

So I've kicked around the idea of going back to school and becoming a counselor/therapist. I've talked to many friends and new acquaintances about going into coaching. I want to do what makes sense - both for me financially and to still have the kind of impact I want to have and the level/effectiveness that people suffering need.

I don't want to be a joke. I don't want to put people in debt to get better. I want to talk to them, or rather have them talk to me and share with me their experience. I want to help them find their own way out (because when you find your own way, it's yours and it sticks and it's meaningful, and you earn it). I have a number of tools that I know helped me - meditation, therapy, exercise, eating better, drinking less, finding a tribe/community, and more. I imagine that I might "prescribe" some of these things, but I want be able to help people find their own way too.

I've thought of doing a podcast and my wife has suggested (along with at least 2 other people) that I do one too. If it helped reach some people and it helped direct them in some way to live a better, less anxious, more fulfilling, more meaningful life then.....then I should start today. I hope that this blog in an endless ocean of blogs might do some of the same kind of work.